Comparative Study on the Growth of Solanum Melongena and Capsicum Annuum Treated with Fermented Fruit Juice Fertilizer and Commercial Fertilizer

Abstract

This study examined the effectiveness of Fermented Fruit Juice (FFJ) fertilizer, commercial fertilizer, and water on the growth performance of Solanum melongena (eggplant) and Capsicum annuum (chili). Prior to treatment application, all seedlings showed similar characteristics in height, number of leaves, and leaf color, indicating that the experimental groups were uniform. Eggplant seedlings initially measured 8–10 cm with 2–4 leaves, while chili seedlings measured 10–11 cm with 6–7 leaves. After 26 days of treatment, all plants demonstrated growth improvements. Eggplants reached heights of 29–39 cm with 9–23 leaves, whereas chili plants grew to 30–39 cm with 24–68 leaves. Commercial fertilizer produced the highest growth performance, followed by FFJ fertilizer, while water-treated plants showed the least development. Despite these differences, all plants maintained healthy green leaves throughout the experiment. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) revealed no statistically significant difference among treatments, as the computed p-value of 0.557265 exceeded the 0.05 significance level and the computed F-value was lower than the critical value. The findings indicate that FFJ fertilizer, made from banana, mango, squash, guava, tomato, and molasses, can positively support plant growth. Moreover, FFJ offers a low-cost, environmentally friendly alternative fertilizer that promotes sustainable agriculture and helps recycle biodegradable organic waste.